Press Release – Auckland Transport
There will be road closures, parking restrictions and bus delays for Ironman 70.3 in Auckland on Sunday. Come into the city and enjoy the inaugural Ironman, but be aware there will be road closures and parking restrictions in some streets on the North Shore, in the city centre and on the eastern waterfront.

Main roads affected on the North Shore include Constellation Drive, Apollo Drive, Rosedale Rd and William Pickering Drive. Main roads affected in the city centre include Halsey St, Quay St and Customs St West. The main road affected in the eastern waterfront is Tamaki Drive.

The New Zealand Transport Agency also cautions drivers to expect delays as sections of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Northern Motorway (State Highway 1) will be closed as part of the 90km long cycle course of the event.

A range of transport options are available. The public are advised to check options in advance and make plans to travel early. Check by using the journey planner at www.at.co.nz or call 09 3666 400.

Travel by bus:

Buses will operate to a Sunday timetable. Due to road closures a number of bus stops will be relocated and bus route diversions will be in place in the city centre and the Northern Busway. The City LINK and Airbus will also be affected by route diversions. Auckland Transport Ambassadors will be available to help passengers at key bus relocations. Normal fares apply.

Travel by train:

Check the journey planner for train timetables to help plan your trip. Rail replacement bus services will operate between Newmarket and Britomart and also between Otahuhu and Britomart (via Glen Innes). Normal fares apply.

Travel by ferry:

Ferries will operate to a Sunday timetable. Normal fares apply. Due to road closures, a temporary ferry passenger pick-up and drop-off area will operate on Lower Albert St between Customs and Quay Streets.

Travel by car:

If you are planning to travel by car you may need to take a different route and park in a different location than usual. Public parking is available at Auckland Transport parking buildings on Fanshawe Street, Downtown, Victoria St, Civic and Karangahape Road.

The event will be based at the Viaduct Events Centre. The course comprises a 1.9km one-lap swim in the Viaduct Harbour, a 90km bike course over Auckland Harbour Bridge, followed by a two-lap city section to St Heliers, and a 21.1km two-lap run along the Auckland waterfront. The finish line will be in the heart of Wynyard Quarter.

The Events Centre is located on the Halsey Street wharf at the Auckland Viaduct Harbour on the edge of Auckland’s CBD. It is accessible from Halsey Street or via the Te Wero Bridge from the Eastern Viaduct, which is within a ten to fifteen minute walk from Britomart Transport Centre.

Press Release – New Zealand Transport Agency
Drivers should plan their journeys this Sunday (20 January) because sections of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Northern Motorway (State Highway 1) will be closed as part of the course for an international Ironman event. The closures, which also include the Northern Busway, will start to be implemented from 1.30am on Sunday and all lanes will be re-opened by 11am.

The NZTA’s Regional Traffic Operations Manager, Kathryn Musgrave, says the NZTA has been working closely with the organisers of Ironman 70.3 Auckland to keep any disruption to drivers to a minimum.

“Even so, the closures are widespread and will have a big impact on people using the harbour bridge. Drivers should allow a little extra time for their journeys, particularly if they are a travelling from the North Shore to Auckland International Airport,” Ms Musgrave says.

The harbour bridge, motorway and busway are sections of the 90km-long cycling course for Ironman 70.3 Auckland, which doubles as the Asia-Pacific Championship event. Six lanes on the bridge will remain open for traffic – three in each direction.

“The ironman event promises to give Auckland a lot of international publicity and we are extremely grateful for the support and co-operation we get from drivers to help make that possible. There will be a lot of distractions on the bridge on Sunday morning and we ask people to drive with care and patience so that they reach their destinations safely,” Ms Musgrave says.

Ironman 70.3 Auckland closures are as follows (closures will start to be implemented at 1.30am on Sunday, 20 January, and will be lifted by 11am);- Auckland Harbour Bridge: two lanes of the southbound box-girder (clip-on) closedShelly Beach Road off ramp: closedOnewa Road on-ramp southbound: closed (to be re-opened at 9.30am)Northern Motorway (SH1): lane 1 (left hand or inside lane) closed from just north of the Esmonde Road interchange to the Auckland Harbour BridgeNorthern Busway: closedThe Esmonde Road interchange will remain open for all southbound and northbound traffic.